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The Los Angeles Kings will have to claim home-ice advantage in the first round without their captain.

Dustin Brown was suspended for the remaining two games of the regular season for his elbow to the head of Minnesota Wild forward Jason Pominville.

The play occurred at 10:04 of the second period as Brown was gathering in a puck along the boards. Pominville skated toward Brown and as he arrived, the Kings winger turned into the Minnesota forward and knocked him down with an elbow that hit Pominville's face. No penalty was called on the play.

Brown told reporters after the game that he merely was bracing himself for being hit, but NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan explained what made the move suspension-worthy.

"Counter-hits occur often in hockey," he said in his explanatory video. "They usually are used by players to protect themselves from impending checks or to gain a tactical advantage. However, as Brown attempts this counter-hit, he extends his elbow directly into Pominville's face, causing an injury.

Pominville fell to the ice, needed assistance from a trainer to get to the dressing room and didn't return. The Wild had an off-day on Wednesday, so an update on his condition won't be announced until Thursday.

"This was not an inadvertent elbow caused by Pominville's sudden movement," Shanahan added. "Pominville is low, but his head does not suddenly move or dip prior to contact."

Brown, who ranks sixth in the league with 156 hits, never had been suspended in his career. The two-game penalty ends his 314-game ironman streak and will cost him $34,324.32 in lost pay.

It also denies the Kings their leader and fifth-leading scorer as they try to nail down the fourth spot in the Western Conference. They entered Wednesday night leading the San Jose Sharks on a tiebreaker and the St. Louis Blues were one point back. Each team had two games left and the Sharks and Kings play Saturday night in their regular-season finale.

"I saw the hit and I thought it was close," Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said. "I think some of the hits he's had in the past had a bearing on the decision."

The Kings recalled forward Tyler Toffoli from Manchester (N.H.) of the American Hockey League.

Brown will be rested up when he returns for Game 1 as the Kings try to defend their Stanley Cup title. He tied with teammate Anze Kopitar for the league's playoff scoring lead last season with 20 points in 20 games.

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Brendan Shanahan is in his second season of handing out supplementary discipline. During the 2012-13 regular season, he handed out 15 suspensions and six fines. Total games: 36. Total lost pay: $553,820.21. In the playoffs, he has suspended five players for a total of 12 games. A look at who he has suspended or fined:
Dave Sandford, NHLI via Getty Images

June 5: Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith was suspended for one game for what Brendan Shanahan called a retaliatory high stick to the face of Jeff Carter. The Los Angeles Kings center needed 20 stitches. "Even if Carter does chop down on the top of Keith's hand, that still does not justify that extent of Keith's actions," Shanahan said.
Harry How, Getty Images

May 16: San Jose Sharks winger Raffi Torres was suspended for the remainder of the second round for his hit that injured Los Angeles Kings center Jarret Stoll. Though his Torres' shoulder initially hit Stoll's shoulder, Brendan Shanahan said it was a glancing blow and Stoll's head was the principal point of contact. Torres ended up serving six games.
Ed Szczepanski, USA TODAY Sports

May 5: Justin Abdelkader got a two-suspension for charging Anaheim Ducks defenseman Toni Lydman. Brendan Shanahan said Adbelkader launched upward on his hit and he traveled a long distance, giving him ample time to make another decision on the hit.
Kirk Irwin, Getty Images

May 3: Ottawa Senators defenseman Eric Gryba was suspended for two games for stepping up and hitting Montreal Canadiens forward Lars Eller, who suffered a concussion and broken teeth on the play.
Graham Hughes, AP

April 24: Los Angeles Kings captain Dustin Brown was suspended for two games for an elbow that struck the Minnesota Wild's Jason Pominville in the face, injuring him. Lost pay: $34,324.32.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports

March 30: Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nate Thompson was suspended for two games for an illegal hit to the head of New Jersey Devils forward Matt D'Agostini. Lost pay: $9,729.72.
John E. Sokolowski, USA TODAY Sports

March 21: Toronto Maple Leafs winger Joffrey Lupul received two games for an illegal check to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman. Lost pay: $45,945.94.
John E. Sokolowski, USA TODAY Sports

March 20: Florida Panthers left wing Eric Selleck got the worst of this fight with Carolina's Kevin Westgarth. Shanahan also ruled that Selleck came off the bench on a legal line change to start the fight, a violation of Rule 70.2. That led a one-game suspension, in addition to an automatic one-gamer for instigating a fight in the final five games of regulation. Lost pay: $5,945.94
James Guillory, USA TODAY Sports

March 13: Anaheim Ducks right wing Corey Perry was suspended for four games for a late hit on the Minnesota Wild's Jason Zucker the night before. Zucker, who caught a shoulder in the head, left the game and didn't return. Lost pay: $115,135.12.
Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports

March 4: Buffalo Sabres forward Patrick Kaleta was suspended for five games for shoving New York Rangers center Brad Richards into the boards the night before. Richards returned quickly to the game, but Kaleta is a repeat offender. Lost pay: $76,219.25.
Bruce Bennett, Getty Images

March 3: Philadelphia Flyers forward Harry Zolnierczyk was suspended for four games for leaving his feet to check Ottawa Senators defenseman Mike Lundin on March 2. Lundin has a concussion. Lost pay: $12,972.96.
Michael Perez, AP

Feb. 25: San Jose Sharks forward Ryane Clowe was suspended for two games for leaving the bench on a legal line change and starting an altercation with Andrew Shaw. The Chicago Blackhawks forward had hit Clowe's teammate, Joe Pavelski, seconds earlier. Lost pay: $39,198.18
Dennis Wierzbicki, USA TODAY Sports

Feb. 20: Vancouver Canucks right wing Jannik Hansen was suspended one game for hitting Chicago's Marian Hossa in the back of the head with his forearm. Hossa left the game and didn't return. Lost pay: $7,297.30
Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports

Feb. 6: Columbus Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky was the first player to receive the new, maximum $10,000 fine for his hit from behind on Los Angeles Kings defenseman Rob Scuderi. The fact that Dubinsky rolled off the check and had no prior disciplinary probably saved him from a harsher penalty.
Kirk Irwin, Getty Images

Jan. 30: New York Islanders forward Colin McDonald was suspended for two games for a hit from behind on Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ben Lovejoy. Lovejoy wasn't hurt on the play. Lost pay: $7,567.56.
Bruce Fedyck, USA TODAY Sports

Jan. 23. Philadelphia Flyers center Brayden Schenn was suspended for one game for a charging infraction against New Jersey Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov. He skated from the bench directly at Volchenkov and leaped before hitting him. The defenseman wasn't hurt. Lost pay: $4,702.70.
Chris O'Meara AP